FilmSnobReviews

The blockbusters have arrived, get your popcorn ready! To celebrate the beginning of the summer movie season we’re going to countdown our top ten most anticipated for this summer 2015. Any movie coming out from May 1st to August 24th (excluding The Avengers: Age of Ultron since it’s already out in some markets) is eligible. I’m going to tell you a bit about the films, as well as why I am hyped to see it. So without saying too much else let’s get to the good stuff…

10. Straight Outta Compton (August 14th): A biopic on one of the most influential rap groups of all times NWA. A group that spawned both Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. This look at the early days directed by Friday director F. Gary Gray features a fairly unknown a young cast including Ice Cube’s very own son O’Shea Jackson Jr. playing his father, and Paul Giamatti as Jerry Heller.

Why I’m Hyped: It’s a music biopic which off the bat interests me. The fact that it’s about a group that transcended a very young genre that was hip-hop/rap and that they were forefathers of the “gangsta” rap movement of the early nineties means they’re important enough to leave the audience engaged. Sure it might seem nepotistic for Ice Cube to select his son to play him, but that could work out wonderfully.

9. Inside Out (June 19th): A look into our brains reveals that our emotions may actually be little creatures controlling the complicated machine that is the human brain. In this newest animated feature from the masters at Pixar we look into Riley’s brain. A young girl who jas just moved from the Midwest to San Francisco. Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black lend their voices to the emotions in this one.

Why I’m Hyped: Watch that darn trailer and try NOT smiling. From the subtle humor to Boston’s great track More Than a Feeling playing over the top it seems that after the bumble that was Brave Pixar are back to try and reclaim the throne Disney Animation Studios is trying to rip away from them. This could be the one that reasserts them as King of the Animated Feature. A summer release shows they are all kinds of confident in what this brings to the table. Other studios have taken note as well as there is no other major release on June 19th.

8. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (June 12th): When Gregg Gaines finds out from his mother that he will be forced to go spend time with Rachael he’s less then satisfied. However, Rachael (Olivia Cooke) has just been diagnosed with leukemia and given only a short amount of time to live. When Gregg’s best-friend…excuse me co-worker Earl is brought into the fold it changes everyone involved. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at The Sundance Film Festival, this looks like a loving look at unexpected friendship.

Why I’m Hyped: Watch this trailer. It’s a love letter to weirdo film nerds. It takes that concept of Sweding movies and makes it charming. These characters looks lively, and fully developed. Overall this looks like a welcomed break from the explosion and dinosaur rapture this summer season is bringing forth. It’s a small film, but one that could steal the heart of the summer when it opens against another film on this list on June 12th.

7. Marvel’s Ant-Man (July 17th): When the creation of technology that can shrink the size of something and enhance it’s power is created Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) knows that this tech cannot fall into the wrong hands, and that somehow he has to steal it away. Enter professional thief, and ex-con Scott Lang who is outfitted with a suit design with the very same tech, and is now being tasked with ripping away this invention from the wrong hands. Marvel presents perhaps it’s most obscure hero in the pint sized gladiator known as Ant-Man.

Why I’m Hyped: Well it’s a Marvel film first and foremost. Those folks seem to be getting this “blockbuster” thing. In addition my familiarity with the Ant-Man character and his importance in the great scheme of the comic book canon make this all the more intriguing. Paul Rudd is a man perfectly “suited” as it were to play a hero such as this. Dude is straight awesome! Marvel may have a surprise for all of use when Ant-Man hits us on July 17th.

6. Fantastic Four (August 7): When four people are caught up in an intergalactic conundrum it bestows upon them unique powers. Powers they can use as Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) so eloquently put it “could be used to help people”. But trouble is on the horizon for them, a unknown enemy seems to have been forged through the very same process. With new mysterious abilities and a problem needing to be solved what will this “fantastic” group do with the task at hand. Find out when this new spin on comics original team hits August 7th.

Why I’m Hyped: Love the cast, love the director, love the take everything about this film thus far screams “we want to do this right”. The chemistry between Kate Mara’s Sue Storm and Miles Teller’s Reed Richards seems really natural and unforced. This is a sort of swan song for the summer as it is the last super hero property until next year. And next year is the big one, Batman v Superman!

5. Minions (July 10): The question everyone wondered after the success of the first Despicable Me was where did those weird little yellow guys come from. Well this is the film that not only answers that question but makes us wonder why they’d ever choose Gru. We’re introduced to a new villain by the name of Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Oscar Winner Sandra Bullock). We’ll go through all the trials and tribulations these cute little banana looking creatures had to go through to simply survive…but in a funny way, with tons of gibberish!

Why I’m Hyped: They just took the best part of two other fantastic movies and gave them their own film. No matter what your story or premise these little minions are just too charming. You can’t even understand their language yet you totally get them. It will be a blast to see these dudes pulling some great physical comedy (a la The Three Stooges) and I’m interested in Scarlet Overkill thanks to the above trailer.

4. Jurassic World (June 12th):  Jurassic Park is no longer the spectacle it once was, and in order to try and spike attendance those who work there have been driven to genealogical manipulation. Now there are several species of dinosaur on the grounds that were never known to exist. This includes the big fella pictures above snacking on a full sized pterodactyl, and the big baddie which we cannot even see. Now with several of these highly dangerous new species on the loose in a park full of potential pray Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and the team behind the park must try and some these crazed reptiles.

Why I’m Hyped: It’s a movie about freaking dinosaurs! I remember seeing Jurassic Park for the first time, and the amazement I felt. That’s something I think could happen here. Likewise I think the utter terror of what the first did will also not be lost in the modern age. Perhaps there’s a bit too much CGI going on, or maybe it works out to look incredible either way I’m along for the ride because well….dinosaurs!

3. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (July 31st): When the Impossible Mission Force is being shut down it’s top agent Ethan Hunt is on the run trying to take out the mysterious group known as “The Syndicate”. With the help of his rather talented group of friends, and a couple of new ones he intents to stop this sinister group before they bring forth any sort of trouble to the world.

Why I’m Hyped: Did you see the trailer? These movies rule! I’ve been a fan since the first and the fourth might have been the best one yet! I’m looking for Tom Cruise to do ridiculous things, and for Simon Pegg to say ridiculous things. Bringing back Ving Rhames means a throwback to the older films for the long time fans, while also introducing a new female member to the fold. This looks to once again be the white knuckle awesomeness we expect from the American Bond!

2. Tomorrowland (May 22nd): When she stumbles upon a strange pin that seems to take her to a different world young Casey (Britt Robertson) finds the owner of said pin. He is a former child genius named Frank (George Clooney), and together the two will embark on a weird, and fantastical adventure to Tomorrowland. But what secrets does this mysterious place hold? There’s only one way for them to find out, go there, and take a look for themselves.

Why I’m Hyped: This film is in the same vein as the orginal Pirates film Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl in that it is based on a ride from Disneyland, and yet looks like it’s going to take us to a world we’ve never been before. The idea that there’s a world out there besides the own lives. Take another look at the trailer above, that is some awesome stuff. In addition you know George Clooney isn’t going to attach his name to just anything.

1.Mad Max: Fury Road(May 15): Director George Miller returns to the films that made him a household name way back in the eighties. This time instead of Mel Gibson we get Tom Hardy, and well that’s never a bad thing. In the dystopian outback of Australia gas is a luxury. One only given to the very fortunate. As the petrol drought gets worse so does the animosity.

Why I’m Hyped: This thing looks absolutely bonkers!I cannot wait for what looks to be an adrenaline-fueled joy ride. The cinematography of this film is insane to say the least. Tom Hardy is a great actor and should provide the character with something different to what Gibson brought. Lastly Charlize Theron looks like she’s ready to kick some serious butt here! Overall it’s an exciting looking film that has a weirs and unique spin.

What films are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below! We’d love to hear your opinion on maybe some of the things we missed out on? Maybe why you’re looking forward to them. Dig what we’re doing? Go ahead and subscribe so you can find out about all the news we have coming up, including a contest we have in the works